


Beautiful Mess

by jaded_jane



Series: Beautiful Mess [1]
Category: Big Time Rush (TV)
Genre: BTProm Kings Spoilers, M/M, cross-dressing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-05-30
Updated: 2012-05-30
Packaged: 2017-11-07 05:27:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,390
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/427370
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jaded_jane/pseuds/jaded_jane
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>James' undoing was really Logan's fault.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Beautiful Mess

**Author's Note:**

  * For [likezoinxman](https://archiveofourown.org/users/likezoinxman/gifts).



> Slight cross-dressing, spoilers for BTProm Kings. Title and last line come from Jason Mraz's "A Beautiful Mess". A million thanks to shisou_eimin for the prompting- even if it veered off-course. This is for you.  
> 

Whenever James envisioned his prom, the daydream never, _ever_ , included a bathroom stall.

Okay, maybe **once**. But he was not hiding in it, fearing for his life like he was now.

Instead of his life flashing before his eyes as he had been repeatedly told actually happened, James saw the last few days. Back to when this insanity started.

“You’re going down!”

Kendall jinxed him. There was no other explanation.

Right?

\----

James’ undoing was really Logan’s fault.

After the announcement that prom would be held, Logan watched girl after girl throw herself at James. Each one had hoped to be chosen as James’ prom date, only to walk away disappointed after five minutes of flirting was up.

Logan clocked the first few girls, wondering if the time crunch would affect James’ flirting habits. If these girls were anything to go by, James’ five minutes was firmly adhered to despite whatever urgency he may have been feeling.

Logan asked James about his flirting test, once.

James rolled his eyes and tried not to be too condescending as he explained to Logan that as someone who spent most of his life being judged by appearances alone, James was not going to do that to any potential dates. He would appreciate someone’s beauty, but he wasn’t going to waste his time on dates where the only thing going on was James being stared at with vacant eyes.

That’s where the five minutes of flirting came in. If the potential date could keep up a conversation for a full five minutes, no lulls, then James knew the outing would probably be a successful one.

It didn’t matter that James wouldn’t see his dates again.

Logan took some comfort that James apparently scared off each and every one. How, Logan was never quite sure, but he was grateful nevertheless. It meant that the knot in his chest, which showed without fail upon James’ date’s arrival, never grew bigger than a fist since James was not getting serious with anyone.

This is also why Logan suggested Sienna in 4K and the new girl in 2R when he caught James admiring himself in the full-length mirror while wearing his white tux and _crown_.

Logan watched both approach James in the lobby and be turned down as prom dates. These particular two seemed angry at James’ refusal, when all he’d done was let them down gently. Logan knew if James went to see either girl, he’d be getting a face full of door, not a date.

And certainly not a relationship.

The Aubrey Stewart thing, however? That fell into Logan’s lap.

James had no idea that Camille knew Aubrey from long ago days at some acting camp they attended when both girls were ten. Logan wasn’t going to share that knowledge either. He just nodded when James demanded he get Aubrey’s home address so that James could go sweep Aubrey off her feet and left the apartment to find Camille.

It took some coaxing to get Camille to part with Aubrey’s cell phone number when Logan found her. He couldn’t help but feel some relief when Camille handed over the information and agreed to a small favor of asking Aubrey to speak to Logan without too many questions. “Thanks, Camille. You don’t know what this means to me.”

Camille eyed Logan steadily. “Oh, I have some idea. The question is: do you?”

Logan blushed at the insinuation, turned and fled the scene. He had some work to do.

\----

“Hello?”

“Aubrey, it’s Logan.”

“Logan! Camille said you’re a nice guy and I should do whatever you want, within reason.”

“My friend James and I will be stopping by tomorrow. He’s having me pose as his agent, like anyone with a brain or eyes would believe that, and I’m going to be suggesting a publicity date for the two of you at The Palmwoods Prom. James thinks that you two could be prom king and queen.”

“Logan, proms are not really my thing. Plus my bodyguards are a bit overprotective, even by bodyguard standards.”

“Aubrey, just say yes when he asks. It would mean the world to him.”

\----

“Dude! It’s so awesome that you got Aubrey Stewart’s home address like I wanted!” James bounced excitedly in his seat as Logan drove down the freeway. Logan was beginning to get distracted by it when James suddenly stopped. “What if she says no?”

Logan fought the urge to say _She won’t because I told her to say yes_ and settled on, “What actress doesn’t like free publicity?”

James fiddled with the bouquet in his hands. “I can’t believe I’m going to meet Aubrey Stewart. I want her to pass the five-minute flirting test with flying colors. If she fails, I’ll have no one and Kendall will win. **Again**.” James looked over at Logan. “I don’t want him to beat me, Logan. He’s the only reason we’re out here and I’m tired of losing to him.”

Logan squirmed in his seat, beginning to feel guilty. James’ voice sounded so sad just then and Logan wanted nothing more than to have James bounce with excitement some more.

But Logan kept silent because he knew that James’ mood would swing back in five, four, three, two….

“Look! A billboard for a new Cuda product! Logan, we have to go to the store afterwards and buy it! Promise me!”

One.

“Yes, James. We can stop at Sephora on the way home and get you your Cuda. Oh, and look at that. We’re here.”

\----

“Ow.”

“I said I was sorry. I panicked that we went all that way and I wasn’t going to see Aubrey Stewart. I figured if the bodyguards were busy stopping _you_ , there was no way they’d be able to stop _me_ too. But she agreed to go! Did you hear her answer? ‘Sure.’ Why’d you stop? We’re not home.”

Logan gripped the steering wheel tightly. Anything to distract himself from the pain. “We’re at Sephora. New Cuda. Ring any bells?”

James opened his door, stepped out of the car and leaned back in to face Logan. “I’ll be right back. Unless you want to come with me? Maybe we can find a hot date for you too.”

Logan shook his head. “I’ll stay right here, thank you.”

James shrugged at him. “Alright, dude. Just don’t leave me.”

“I wouldn’t do that, even if it’s your fault I hurt right now.” Logan winced to prove his point. “Go. I’ll still be here when you return.”

James shrugged again before walking away.

Logan waited until James was inside the store before yanking out his cell phone. Logan knew from experience that James would be at least fifteen minutes. Thirty seconds to locate the product (it was like James had Cuda radar), ten minutes to annoy the nearest sales associate with any and all questions about the product, and finally, the last five minutes were for the flirting test.

Logan slowly brought the phone to his ear after dialing the desired number. Once the call connected, Logan could only say one thing, “Ow.”

\----

The limo ride to the prom was silent. James sat up front, next to the driver, as Aubrey and her bodyguards took up the whole backseat.

He was kind of grateful for the distance. Being frisked was a new experience for James, one that he didn’t care to repeat any time soon.

His corsage hadn’t been so lucky. It was destroyed in the process, not that Aubrey noticed.

It was at that moment, less than a mile away from the prom, that James realized he hadn’t successfully completed the flirting test with Aubrey. Or even started it for that matter.

James groaned to himself wishing, for what would be the first of many times that night, that Logan was here with him. Logan would have been able to calm him down with some reassuring words, or mostly with just his presence.

Why wasn’t Logan here again? Oh yeah, because he wanted to look cool when he showed up to the prom with Aubrey and asked Logan to snag a ride with Guitar Dude.

James was pulled from his internal meltdown by the driver announcing their arrival. He exited the limo as slowly as he could, partially because he wanted to be seen by as many people as possible, but mostly because he was dreading spending any actual time with Aubrey. Who he now needed to catch up with since her bodyguards hated his dilly-dallying and escorted her inside immediately.

James ran behind them, springing up every so often to confirm that Aubrey was still in front of the wall of muscle currently blocking his view.

As soon as the wall stopped moving, James tried to redeem the evening by dashing around the bodyguards and asking Aubrey to dance. He figured that he and Aubrey didn’t need to talk while dancing, so the flirting test would be unnecessary.

Plus, dancing is what proms were for…after being crowned king, of course.

Aubrey agreed, but as James stepped closer to her, he was cut off again by a bodyguard. James promptly stepped back.

“Accidents happen on the dance floor. You can dance there,” the guy said as he pointed. It was at least six feet away from Aubrey.

James tried protesting; it did him no good. The bodyguards were unrelenting in their refusal to let James be near Aubrey as the two danced. James was about to give up and go elsewhere when Logan came and dragged him away.

Any happiness James felt about being with his best friend disappeared when Logan opened his mouth. James knew the other students wouldn’t vote for him and Aubrey; hell, at this point, James wouldn’t vote for himself either. Logan didn’t need to remind him.

After James finished helping Logan create an emergency dance block, he made his way to the back of the room where the girls who went stag were congregated. James was going to find himself a new date.

One he could actually touch while dancing.

\----

Logan watched in disbelief as James chatted up every girl he laid eyes on. This was not how the evening was supposed to go! James was supposed to arrive with Aubrey, have a horrible time and never see her, in person anyway, ever again.

It also seemed that in James’ haste to find a better date, his flirting test had been cut from five minutes to thirty seconds.

As the knot in Logan’s chest reappeared, Logan’s brain began formulating a plan.

Logan rushed over to as close as he could get to Aubrey. “Pssst, Aubrey. I need you to do something for me.” Logan leaned slightly closer, enduring the glare of the blond bodyguard as he laid out his scheme. “Do you know what you’re going to do?”

Aubrey glanced over at Logan and nodded. “Send him over. He’ll never know what hit him.” She smiled at Logan. “Good luck.”

Logan frowned at her, wondering why he’d need luck and just what Camille said about him and James to Aubrey.

Letting that thought go for the moment, Logan walked over to James. “It’s a little rude to ditch your date at the prom and get yourself a new one. Especially while the first one is still on premises.”

“What?”

Logan sighed. “Go back to Aubrey, James. It’s not her fault her bodyguards are doing their job and keeping you a safe distance away. If you look around, you’ll see that they’re doing that with _everyone_. Now go sit down, have dinner and don’t forget to smile. It’ll help you win back some votes.”

\----

James had been seated for all of about twenty seconds when Aubrey burst into tears. James looked at the three men surrounding her and suddenly they were all towering over him, glowering.

“You know what happens when someone makes Miss Aubrey cry?”

James started fearing for his life in that instant. He spouted out some gibberish and ran. The three men gave chase, not caring that Aubrey was now unguarded.

They were better coordinated because before James could even process it, the bodyguards covered the exits. He ran to the men’s room, hoping to get one of the windows open and shimmy through, completely forgetting there were no windows in there, at all.

James was trapped.

\----

Logan smiled to himself as he watched James run right where Logan wanted him. He made his way to the men’s room slowly, giving James more time to let his terror mount.

As Logan got within a few feet of the door, he started running to keep up the illusion that he too feared for James’ life.

“I’m here!” Logan coughed into his hand.

When James’ head popped up over one of the stall doors, Logan struggled not to laugh. James looked so ridiculous.

They bickered back and forth for a few minutes about who caused this situation before James demanded that Logan find Kendall.

Logan had noticed the way their friend had been jumpy all evening and knew that Kendall would be no help, even if Logan wanted Kendall’s help.

Which he did not.

“Um, Kendall’s a bit busy at the moment.”

James looked outraged. “What’s more important than _my_ life?”

Logan shrugged. “Probably his own. Jo’s dad works for the CIA and Kendall snuck Jo here against her father’s wishes. You do the math.”

James pointed at Logan. “Then it’s up to you to get me out of here. _Alive_. So come up with a plan!”

Logan chuckled to himself when James ducked back down, out of sight. He had a plan alright and once Logan put it into action, the girls at the Palmwoods would never look at James Diamond the same way again.

And Logan would stop getting that awful knot in his chest, once and for all.

\----

Spouting off all that “pre-pre-engaged” nonsense to Camille felt a little wrong to Logan, but it wasn’t like he could go up to her and say, “Hey Camille. I want you to give me your dress so I can make James wear it. Why, you ask? Because once the girls see James in that dress, they’ll never want to date him. And I’ll stop feeling funny.”

Thankfully, Camille bought the nonsense or just plain didn’t care. She marched right into the men’s room like she owned the place, glancing over her shoulder at Logan right before the door closed behind her.

Logan was too far away to read her expression, but he would have sworn she was smiling at him.

\----

“James?”

“Camille?” James popped up over the door again. “What are you doing in here?”

“I’m here to make sure you get what you want most. Now, come out so we can get to work on your face.” Camille started taking bits and pieces of make-up from her bag. “At least we have similar coloring.”

James jumped down from the toilet seat on which he’d been standing and jerked the stall door back to face Camille. “First, what’s wrong with my face?! And second, what do you mean you’re here to make sure I get what I want most? What I want most is to get out of here and be named prom king!”

Camille calmly looked at James. “You know that isn’t true, not really. Yes, you want to be named prom king but only to beat Kendall. You also know that I know Aubrey Stewart and could have given you her number. Instead, you made Logan do it. Think about why that is, James. Why it is that you only ever have one date with a girl? Don’t give me any crap about wanting to spread the James Diamond love around. I know you well enough to know you want a relationship. And just who you want it with.” Camille grinned up at James’ dumbfounded expression. “Lean down so I can make you beautiful for him.”

James felt himself being poked and prodded at various times. He tried to hold still, but if Camille’s sighs were anything to go by, James wasn’t doing a very good job.

When Camille stopped, James peered into the mirror. Man, he made a pretty girl. “How is this going to help?”

Camille tugged James back towards the stalls. “Time for a wardrobe change, Romeo.” She paused before adding, “Or should I say, Juliet?”

\----

Logan wondered just what was going on in there.

It was closing in on ten minutes since Camille walked in. In that time, Logan found Carlos, hiding from the Jennifers, also fearing for his life; grabbed some punch, made small talk with Steve, and convinced Aubrey to call it a night.

As he waved good-bye to her and her bodyguards, Logan decided that James and Camille had had enough alone time. Logan didn’t want a repeat of last time, he might end up hating Camille if it happened again.

“James? Are you ready yet?” Logan called out as he entered the men’s room.

“ _Are you nuts?_ ” was James’ reply.

“You asked me to figure out a plan, and I did.”

“I don’t like this plan,” James whined. The stall door opened and there he stood in Camille’s dress, shoes and earrings. Headband too, if Logan wasn’t mistaken.

James looked really beautiful, Logan thought and grimaced, immediately shaking his head to clear it. Now was not the time to be having those thoughts. James still needed to be paraded through the hall to ensure he would not be dating any of those girls in the near future.

Logan never heard anything Camille may have said because he was too focused on James. He barely got out his lie about still needing to sneak James past Aubrey’s now long gone bodyguards before he was reaching out to touch James. If asked, Logan’s excuse would have been that a gentleman always escorts a lady.

\----

James was having trouble concentrating with Logan holding him so close.

Logan insisted that they stoop down beneath the height of the crowd as not to be seen by the muscle men. In doing so, it seemed like they bumped into **every** girl in their path since leaving the men’s room. James could hear the gasps and talk but ignored it in favor of remaining with Logan.

Oops, he meant _alive_.

James could see the exit twenty feet away when a spotlight shone on him and Logan. Gustavo’s voice filled his ears, proclaiming Logan and he, prom king and queen. James righted himself. Queen?

As the applause started, Logan leaned towards James and said, “Well, you’re not prom king, but you are-“

James looked a bit murderous as he ordered, “ _Don’t say it_.”

They both heard their track start and reluctantly joined hands and started awkwardly slow dancing. Eventually they forgot about everything outside of each other and relaxed.

Logan was feeling euphoric. Not only had he been named prom king (without even being voted for) but also now every girl from the Palmwoods had seen James in his current ensemble. The looks he and James were receiving were more than enough to validate what Logan hoped for all along.

No girl would be touching his James anymore.

James was looking at him now and it made Logan a bit nervous that James discovered his plan. He started to let James go and walk away since their song was ending.

Gustavo started up the next track then and Logan heard the opening strains of a familiar song. The hand still around Logan’s own tightened. As he turned back towards James, Logan’s breath caught in his throat.

James’ eyes held much hope as he asked Logan, “Please stay and dance with me some more?”

Logan couldn’t form any thoughts, let alone words and merely nodded his assent. He let James bring him back, stifling a yelp of surprise when James pulled Logan firmly up against his own body.

It’s nice here, Logan thought. He laid his head on James’ chest near his shoulder, more than willing to let James do the leading, and closed his eyes. He wanted to remember this moment, this perfect moment, forever in case something like this never happened again.

All doubts Logan was feeling flew away when he felt James’ lips on his ear, whisper-singing the song to Logan.

“Well I guess it just suggests that this is just what happiness is.” 


End file.
